Main water cutoff: Make sure everyone in the house knows
where it is in case of an emergency.
Toilet overflow: If you believe your toilet is about to
overflow, quickly remove the tank lid, reach down and push the flapper
of flush valve closed. That will keep the bowl from overflowing while
you clear the stoppage.
Toilet Check: Remove tank lid, add food coloring to the
water in the tank. Check the bowl in ten or fifteen minutes. If you see
the color, the flapper is leaking. This should be done every year. These
leaks are silent but you might hear the toilet filling when it is not in
use. This is another indication of a failing flapper. This type of leak
can also reflect heavily in your water bill!
Check your water meter periodically: If you are not
using water in the house all the dials on the meter should not be moving
or spinning. A movement in the dial may indicate a water leak, probably
in the toiler. This could cost you dearly over time.
Stop valves: These are valves located under your
sinks and toilets. Familiarize yourself with their locations in case of
an emergency.
Open and close all valves every six months to a year:
This will ensure that they will work when you need them to. If valves
are not operable for long periods of time they will seize and turning
them off will be difficult or even impossible!
Steam boilers: Drain approximately 5 gallons of
water from your steam boiler every weekend during the heating season.
This will ensure that all probes and wells enter the boiler will stay
clean and all safety controls will work properly. This will add years to
your steam boiler.
Stopped drains: Use drain-cleaning liquids as a
last resort because the damage your pipes and often do not work.
Maintain your drain pipes with Bio-Clean. Bio-Clean is a harmless
bacteria that will come to life with water and eat away all stoppages.
Once pipe is clear it just washes away. We are a Bio-Clean distributor
and Bio-Clean can be purchased directly from us.
Laundry Valves: These should be closed when you are
not home for long periods of time. (Vacation) If a hose breaks down
while you are away, well lets just say it would not be a good situation.
Always hire a licensed plumber: Make sure you hire
a licensed plumber and check into all insurances make sure everything is
up-to-date. Do not take a short cut to hire a side-job-joe because he is
cheaper – Would you have a doctor treat you if he was not licensed? Just
an FYI. Good luck with all your plumbing and heating endeavors.
Check here frequently for helpful hints from
your friends at Paul Foukas Plumbing & Heating . Be sure to come
back often as these hints are updated frequently.
Plumbing Emergencies:
In a
plumbing emergency, you'll need to stop the flow of water quickly. To do
this, you and each member of your family needs to know the location of the
shutoff valve for every fixture and appliance, as well as the main shutoff
valve for the house, and how they operate.
If the emergency involves a specific fixture or appliance, first
look for its shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to shut off the water
to that fixture or appliance only.
The valve is usually located underneath a fixture such as a sink or
a toilet, or behind an appliance, such as a clothes washer, at the point
where the water supply pipe (or pipes) connects to it.
If the problem is not with a particular fixture or appliance, or if
there's no shutoff valve for the fixture or appliance, use the main
shutoff valve to turn off the water supply to the entire house.
You'll find the main shutoff valve on the inside or outside of your
house where the main water supply pipe enters.
In cold climates, look just inside the foundation wall in the
basement or crawl space.
Turn the valve clockwise to shut it off.
Professional Tip If you need a wrench to turn the valve, keep one,
specially labeled near the valve so it's handy.
If the main shutoff valve itself is defective and needs to be
repaired, call your water company; they can send someone out with the
special tool that's required to shut off the water at the street before
it reaches the valve.
A Leaking or Broken Pipe
Turn off the main shutoff valve to prevent water damage.
Make temporary repairs to stop the leak.
The pipe will have to be replaced as soon as it's convenient to do
so.
A Stopped-Up Sink
Shut off any faucet or appliance (such as dishwasher) that's
draining into the sink.
Unclog the sink using a plunger or snake.
DON'T use a chemical drain cleaner if the blockage is total.
A Faucet That Won't Shut Off
Immediately turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valve
underneath the sink.
If there's no valve there, turn off the main shutoff valve.
Repair the faucet or, if necessary, replace it.
A Steaming Hot Water Faucet
Open all the hot water faucets to relieve the overheated hot water
heater.
Turn off the gas or electric supply to the heater.
Let the faucets run until cold water flows from them (this indicates
the water in the heater is no longer overheated).
Close them.
Call in a professional to make any necessary repairs to the heater's
thermostat and pressure relief valve.
Plumbing Emergencies: